Telegraph system



P M. RAINEY. TELEGRAPH SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 8, 191B.

l w wg Patented Dec 13, 1921 //7\/en/0 r} Pay/M R a/hey' UNITED STAT S PATEN'TL OFFICE.

PAUL M. RAINEY, OE GLEN RIDGE, NEW .IERsEY, ASSIGNOR TO WESTERN EEOTRIO COMPANY, INCORPORATED, OF NEW YORK, 1\T.-Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

TELEGRAPH SYSTEM.

Application filed February To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, PAUL M. RAINEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Glen Ridge, in the county of Essex, State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Telegraph Systems, of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description. I i

This invention'relates to telegraph systems and particularly to printing'telegraph systems adapted for either manual or, automatic transmission.

The principal objects of this invention are to provide a systemof communication between any number of stations, which is flexible, one which requires a minimum amount of line time for the transmission of each character combination, and one which may readily be applied to existing circuits and be suitable for all classes of service.

A further object is the provision of means whereby two or more current distributers, located at different stations, may be caused to operate in unison or to maintain proper phase relation without employlng complicated and expensive speed correcting appa-' ratus.

By means of this invention, any number of stations may be interconnected and any station may serve as a transmitting station, while any or all of the remaining stations may serve as receiving stations.

The advantages of a printing telegraph system employing a code in which the length of each character combination occupies the same time, is well recognized, one of the principal advantages being that some form of rotary brush distributer can be used both for sending and receiving thesignals, and secondly by maintaining unison between the connected distributers the need for transmitting a spacing signal between each character combination is avoided.

If continuously rotating distributers are employed, unison may be maintained between them by utilizing the signal current reversals for correcting purposes, as is done in multiplex operation and as is well under stood in the art. With such a-system, a code employing a fixed number of impulses for each character may be used, Without using a spacing signal, if means are provided for storing up a character or part of a character at both the sending and receiving stations in order to give time to set up Specification Of Letters Patent.

8, 1918. Serial No. 216,108.

a new character combination on the transmitter while the preceding one is being sent, and to enable a new combination to-be set up in the printer while the work of printing the preceding character and resetting is taklng place. uch a system, however, is not applicable to circuits having three or more stations, in which all stations are inter-communicating because it wouldbe difiicult, if not impossible, to adjust the speed of the distributers at'the various stations when the several stations are alternately serving as receiving and transmitting stations.

, Current impulse distributing systems have been designed employing five signaling impulses with two-additional impulses, one for starting and one for stopping the distributers. Such systems have proven quite satisfactory where the time factor of line transmission is unimportant. Until recent years, the economic value of a short code was not fully appreciated either by inventors of printing telegraph systems 'or by telegraph companies using them. Within recent years, however, the advantages of employing the shortest code, particularly on important circuits, apart from the advantage of its adaptability to multiplex operation, has been well recognized by operating companies. A comparison between a six;

unit and a seven-unit code resolves itself mainly into a question of line transmission, and with the shorter code an increase in line time of approximately 15% is possible.

Applicants system has been designed to employ a six-unit code, and while suitable for use on all types of circuits, it is particularly intended for use on circuits of importance where line time is a controlling factor. Applicant provides distributers with independent brushes for sending and receiving, each brush being stopped automatically once per revolution, thereby insuring restoration to synchronism once per character. Applicants system is especially adapted to operate on circuits including several stations and it permits greater variation in the speed of the distributers than is allowable on multiplex circuits where a high degree of unison is required between stations; consequently it is less diflicult' and less expensive to maintain. For the accomplishment of the above objects, the invention contemplates the employment of current control means coop Patented Dec.13,1921.

so I.

current and no current for the line.

operate with thesending distributer to form characteristic groups of' permutations. A receiving distributer is also provided which operates in isochronism with the sending distributer and cooperates with an electromeehanism to distribute the effects of the line current impulses to a suitable selecting mechanism. The latter distributer may be utilized when the line is not working duplex to distribute the effect of the outgoing line impulses to a home recording mechanism, thereby providing a home copy.

The above and other objects of this invention will be fully set forth in the following description and claims and will be more readily understood by reference to the accompanying drawing in which is disposed diagrammatically one specific embodiment of the invention.

The system of this invention is here shown adapted for use with a six-unit code composed of units of current and no current, but obviously, other codes may be used without departing from the spirit of the invention. The system preferably employs a full metallic loop, although a single line conductor with the usual may be employed.

he accompanying drawing discloses a transmitting and receiving arrangement such as may be employed at a single station. It is readily apparent that any number of stations similarly equipped may be interconnected and one station may be sending and all others receiving, or any two stations may transmit and receive simultaneously by providing the usual duplex balance.

In the accompanying drawing, A and B are two distributer faces preferably parallel to each other, each face consisting of a plurality of segmented and continuous rings. The distributer brush arms 20 and 120 are frictionally mounted on a constantly rotating shaft 21, which may be driven by any suitable means, for example, a motor. Each arm carries a pair of brushes which are adapted to sweep over the respective distributer faces and interconnect the segmented and continuous rings when the brush arm is released, as will be hereinafter explained.

At 30 is represented a keyboard transmitter, which may be used for selectively actuating a plurality of current control contacts 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, and a common keyboard contact 36. This mechanism may be of any suitable type, but preferably of the type disclosed in Patent N o.1,214,515, dated February 6, 1917.

ground return At 40 is shown an automatic transmitter controlled by a perforated tape or the like. The transmitter may be of any suitable type, such for example, as disclosed in French Patent No. 361,261. A multiple switch 50 is provided for changing from direct keyboard to tape transmission and vice versa. The switch as shown in the drawing, is in position for keyboard transmission.

At each sending station is provided a switch '29 which should be closed when the transmitter is idle and should be opened when message impulses are being "transmitted.

A better understanding of the system can be obtained from a description of the selection of a particular character and the various operations which take place in trans mitting and recording the necessary impulses for the respective character. Let it be assumed that the switch 29 has been opened ready for transmission. Let it also be assumed, for example, that the character B is to be transmitted by the keyboard transmitter 30, -and that the combination of signals required is current, no current, no current, current, current.

- It is to be understood, of course, that instead of employingunits of current and no current, which is provided by simply opening and closing the line or loop as is done in Morse operation, combinations of positive and negative impulses or any other suitable units may be employed.

When the B key of the keyboard (not shown) is depressed, the movable contacts 31, 34 and 35 are moved into engagement with their respective stationary contacts. and the common keyboard contact 36 is also closed, (contact 36 being closed whenever any key is depressed). The closing of these contacts completes energizing circuits through the corresponding selecting relays 61, 64 and and the overlap magnet 75. The energizing circuit of the selecting relay 61 may be traced from grounded battery 66, upper winding of relay 61, contact 51 of multiple switch 50, contact 31 of the keyboard transmitter, contact 57 of multiple switch 50, contact and armature 78 of keyboard magnet 77 ,contact and armature 79 of lockout magnet 76, energizing winding of overlap magnet 75, contact 59 of multiple switch 50 and common keyboard contact 36, to ground. The energizing circuits of selecting relays 64 and 65 may be traced in a similar manner. The overlap magnet is actuated whenever an energizing circuit is established for; one or more of the selecting relays. The overlap magnet when actuated establishes a holding circuit for itself from armature 83 of lockout magnet 76.

long as any key of the keyboard is held depressed and the contact 36 isolosed. The attraction of armature 81 partially prepares a holding circuit for lockout magnet 76, which holding circuit will be completed through the armature 83 of lockout magnet 76 when the lookout -magnet is actuated providing the holding circuit of the overlap magnet has not been broken.

The selecting relays 61 to 65 inclusive control contacts which may or may not be placed in series with the line or loop depending upon the selected or non-selected condition of the relays. Associated with the selecting relays is the distributer mechanism A for successively bringing into serics relation withthe line the contacts which have been closed by the actuated relays. When the selecting relays 61 to '65 inclusive are energized they establish individual holding circuits which include battery 66, energizing circuit of keyboard magnet 77 and The holding circuit of relay 65 differs from the holding circuits of relays 61 to 64 inclusive to the extent that it includes a contact and armature 90 of control relay 88, which armature and contact form a shunt around the energizing winding of control relay 87. The function of relays 87 and 88.will be explained presently.

The keyboard magnet 77 upon being energized attracts its armatures-78 and 84. The attraction of armature 78 opens the energizing circuits of the selected relays and over lap magnet, thereby making it impossible to again actuate anyone of the selecting relays or overlap ma net until the previous com-- circuit for sending start relay 10, which may be traced from grounded battery 11, local ring 25, distributer brush 26, segment 28, contact 60 of multiple switch 50, armature 84 ,and contact thereof of keyboard magnet 77, energizingwinding of relay 10, armature 85 and back contact thereof of lockout control relay 86, armature 83 and back contact thereof of lockout relay 76 ground. From the circuits above traced it will be noted that the locking circuits of the selecting relays and the energizing, circuit of the start relay are under the control of armature 83 of lockout magnet 76.

The actuation of the sending start relay 1O establishes an energizing circuit for start magnet 13 from grounded battery 14, armature 12 and contact thereof of relay 10, enerizing winding of magnet 13 to ground. The attraction of armature 15 is ineffectual at this time, as it is useful only when tape sending, to provide ground for the energizing circuits of the selecting relays instead of the ground 36 as provided when sending by keyboard. Magnet 13 upon being energized attracts its armature 16, thereby releasing the distributer arm 20 which is fricthe-sending distributer has been released to open and close the line circuit in accordance with the selection set up. In the system as illustrated (assuming the switch 29 is open) the line or loop LL is open, while the brush 27 rests upon segment 5 and until it engages segment 6. The instant the brush 27 engages segment 6, the loop is closed and the circuit through the sending station may be traced from line battery 95, armature 97 and back contact thereof of control relay 87, segment 6, brush 27, ring 7 ,line relay 100 to the other side of the loop. It will be readily understood that the instant the loop isclosed the line relays connected therein will be energized and will be caused to at tract their respective armatures, thereby initiating the operation of the apparatus at the receiving stations. The operation of the apparatus under control of the line re lays at the receiving stations will be de- 5, but it is important that the condition of the line or loop, when the brush 27 rests on segment 5, be just the reverse of the line or loop condition when the brush rests on segment 6. As has been explained, the system is designed 'to operate on the closed circuit Morse principle, and if the line or loop is open when the brush 27 interconnects segment with ring 7, the line or loop should be closed when the brush 27 interconnects segment 6 with ring 7, that is, the condition of the line or loop must be altered the instant the sending distrib'uter is set in motion in order that the receiving distributer may be released immediately to distribute the impulses from the transmitting station. Relays 87 and 88 and'the armatures controlled thereby are provided for the purpose of insuring a reversal of line condition when the brush 27 leaves segment 5 and engages segment 6. Thus it will be seen that if the loop LL is closed through the armature 97 and the front contact thereof of control relay 87 when the brush 27 interconnects segment 5 with ring 7, then the loop LL would be open when the brush 27 interconnects segment 6 with ring 7 by reason of the fact that the armature 97 of control relay 87 is out of engagement with its back contact.

W hen the brush 27 interconnects segment 1 with ring 7, the loop is again closed through armature 151 and contact thereof of the selecting relay 61 which has been energized. Closure of the loop at this time again causes the energization of the various common point where the circuit divides, one.

.will presently be described, the various re-.

ceiving stations are able to record the transmitted impulses. At approximately the same time that brush 27 engages segment 1, brush 26 connects segment 8 with segment 25 and establishes energizing circuits for control relay 88 and lockout control relay 86. The circuits may be traced from grounded battery 11, ring 25, brush 26, segment 8 to a branch including the energizing winding of relay 88 and extending to ground, and the other branch including the energizing winding of relay 86 and extending to ground. Relay 88 upon being energized pulls up its armatures 89 and 90. The attraction of armature 90 opens the-shunt hereinbefore referred to around the energizing winding of relay 87 thereby placing relay 87 directly in circuit with battery 66 and permitting it to pull up its armatures 97 and 91. The length of segment 8 and the speed of rotation of the distributer arm 20 are such that the relay 88 is energized momentarily or only a sufiicient length of time to insure the actuation of control relay 87. Therefore the armature 89 of relay 88 is permitted to fall back and engage its "back contact in time to insure the establishment of the locking cir-.

cuit of relay 87 which may be traced from grounded battery 92, holding winding of relay 87, armature 91 and front contact thereof, armature 89 and back contact thereof, to ground. Thus, it will be seen that the holding circuit of relay 87 will be maintained until relay 88 is again energized, and the relay '88 cannot be energized 'until the distributer arm 20 has made a complete revolution and impressed upon the line the group of character combinations stored up on the selecting relays. The attraction of armature 97 provides for closing the loop when the brush 27 engages segment 5 and for opening the loop when the brush 27 engages seg ment 6. l

Relay 86 upon being energized attracts its armatures 85 and 93. The attraction of armature 85 completes a holding circuit for relay 86 from grounded battery 94, holdingv winding of relay 86, armature 85 and front contact thereof, armature 83 and back contact thereof of lockout magnet 76 to ground. The attraction of armature 93 partially prepares an energizing circuit for lockout magnet 7 6 which will be completed by the'brush 26 connecting segment 28 with ring 25 after it has completed its revolution and impressed upon the line the combination of units provided by the transmitter.

The loop remains open while the brush 27 travels from segment 1 to segment 4 because the selecting relays 62 and 63 have not been energized. As soon as the brush 27 conmajor portion of segment 5, the brush 26 interconnects segment 28 with ring 25, thereby completing an energizing circuit for lockout magnet 76. This circuit may be traced from grounded battery 11, ring 25, armature 93 and front contact thereof of lockout control relay 86, energizing winding of lockout magnet 76 to ground. The attraction of armature 83 of lockout magnet 76 breaks the holding circuits, of the selected relays, the energizing circuit of the keyboard magnet and the locking circuit of the lookout control relay, thus placing the sending apparatus in condition to impress upon the line or loop a new combination of impulses. Lockout magnet 76 upon being energized will not be locked in its actuated 1 position, unless a key of the transmitter has been held depressed and the overlap magnet 75 remains energized. The purpose of lockout magnet 76 is to prevent impressing upon the line repeatedly the same group of impulses, in case a key is held depressed.

When it is desired to employ the automatic tape transmitter 40, the multiple switch 50 must be raised in order to bring the movable contacts controlled thereby into engagement with their respective upper contacts, and the switch 96 should also be closed. The operation of the sending apparatus when employing the automatic-tape transmitter is substantially the same as when the keyboard transmitter is employed, and therefore a detailed description, setting forth the operation of the sending apparatus when employing the automatic tape transmitter, is deemed unnecessary. The automatic tape transmitter 40 comprises a able contacts 41, 42, 43, 44 and 45 which may be controlled by a perforated tape or the like. Transmitter magnet 46 is employed forthe purpose'of feeding or stepping the tape ahead to present a new group of perforations as is well understood in the art. After a character combination has been set up by the automatic transmitter and stored up in the selecting relays 61. to 65 inclusive, in the same manner as when the keyboard transmitter is employed, the transmitter magnet may be operated to step the tape ahead before the previous group of character combinations has been impressed upon the line, thereby providing ample time for the transmitter contacts to settle. The sysplurality of mov-.

tem is arranged so that the transmitter magnet 46 may be operated to set up a new combination while theprevious group of impulses are being sent out. An energizing circuit through the transmitter magnet is established when the distributer brush 26 Receiving apparatus.

At the lower portion of the drawing is shown the receiving distributer B and a switching arrangement for distributing the effects of'the line current impulses to the recording mechanism 150. One of the important features of the receiving apparatus is the provision of novel means to insure the release of the receiving distributer arm 120 at the proper time and regardless of the line condition, 2'. a, regardless of whether the first unit consists of current or no current. The loop' may be either open or closed when the brush 27 rests upon segment 5, but if open when the brush rests on segment 5, it will be closed when the brush engages segment 6 and vice versa. It.

is, therefore, necessary to provide means re sponsive to such a change in line condition in order to insure the release of the receiving distributer arm 120 when the brush 27 of the sending distributer engages segment 6. The line relay 100 at the receiving station is shown in its unactuated or denergized posit-ion because the loopis now open at the front contact of relay armature 97. Now the instant brush 27 of the sending distributer engages segment 6', the loop will be closed and the line relays at the various stations will be energized. The line relay 100 is provided with two armatures 112 and 115. One terminal of armature 112 is connected to ground through a switch 111. The other terminal of armature112, is adapted to ply between and engage opposing contacts 113 and 114. Contact 113 isconnected to one terminal of winding 126 of leak relay 116 and also to contact 118 which is adapted to be engaged by the contact tongue of leak relay 116. The contact 114 is connected to one terminal of winding 127 of leak relay 116 and also to contact 119 which is also adapted to be engaged by the contact tongue of leak relay 116. The common terminal of windings 126 and 127 is connected to grounded battery 117. Relay armature 121 of leak relay 116 is connected to one terminal of a receiving start relay 110'. The other terminal of the receiving start relay is arranged to be connected to grounded battery 124 when the brush 126 connects ring 125 and segment 128. Now the instant the loop is closed and the relay armature 112 is attracted to engage its front contact 114, a circuit is completed from grounded battery 117 winding 127 of leak relay 116, contact I 114, armature 112 and switch 111 to ground. At the same instant and before the leak relay has caused a break between the contact tongue of armature 121 and contact 119, a circuit is also established from grounded battery 124, ring125, brush 126, segment 128, energizing winding of receiving start relay 110, contact tongue of armature 121, contact 119, contact 114, armature 112 and switch 111 to ground. Thus it will be seen the last traced circuit is defined from the time of make between armature 112 and contact 114 and the time of break between contact tongue of arma ture 121 and contact 119. This interval of time, however, is sufiicient to effect the actuation of receiving start relay 110. Relay 110 upon being energized attracts. its armatures 130 and 139, thereby establishing an energizing circuit for start magnet 132 and a holding circuit for itself. The holding circuit of relay 110 may be traced from grounded battery 124 through distributer B, winding of relay 110, armature 139 and contact thereof to ground. Thisholding circuit will be maintained until the brush 126 passes off of segment 128, and the energizing circuit. of start magnet 132 will be maintained until the holding circuit of start relay 110 is broken-thereby preventing reengagement of holding pawl 140 and distributer arm 120 until the distributer arm has completed its cycle of operation.

The distributer arm 120 has now been re leased and is so adjusted and the receiving segments so arranged that brush 127 will pass over and connect segments 131, 132, 133, 134 and 135 with ring 138 at the same time brush 27 of the sending distributer passes over and connects segments 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 respectively with ring 7. Since we have assumed that the character B represented by units of current and no current, arranged in the following sequence, current, no current, no current, current, ourrent, is being transmitted, the loop LL will be closed when brush 27 engages segments 1, 4 and 5. Therefore, current will be connected to ring 138 from grounded battery '146 and armature whenever the loop is closed, and consequently circuits will be completed from grounded battery 146 through selecting magnets 141, 144 and 145, as brush 127 connects segments 131, 134 and 135 with distributer ring 138. The selecting magnets 141 to 145 inclusive may be employed to operate the selecting mechanism of any suitable recording device, for example, a printer. Segment 136 may beused to conduct current to a suitable electromechanism to complete the printing operatlon.

In describing the operation of the leak relay, receiving relay and start magnet, itv

has been assumed that the loop initially was open and that the receiving distributer was set in motion by closing the loop. Such an initial condition is not imperative, however, and just the reverse may be true, i. 0., the loop may be initially closed and the receiving apparatus may be initiated by opening the loop. In the latter event the operation of the leak relay and receiving start relay would be. effected in the same manner as hereinbefore described. It is understood, of course, that the leak relay armature 121 will remain in its actuated position until current is sent through the opposite windinrr'of the leak relay.

The switch 111 is provided to disconnect the receiving apparatus from the influence of the line impulses in case the attendant desires to leave or it is desired to disconnect the apparatus for any reason.

What is claimed is:

1. In a printing telegraph system wherein;

the characters are represented by permutations of selecting units, a main line, a plurality of current-controlling contacts equal in number to the number of units representing each character, a single additional contact, and electromagnetic means energized over a circuit including said additional contact to insure a reversal of line condition between the last selecting unit of a permutation and the first unit of a succeeding permutation.

2. Ina printing telegraph system wherein the characters are represented by permutations of selecting units, a line circuit, a sending mechanism comprising conducting segments equal in number to the number of selecting units representing each character, a single additional segment, and a relay energized over a circuit including said segment to insure a change in line condition between the last selecting unit of one permutation and the first unit of the succeeding permutation.

3. In a printing telegraph system wherein the characters are represented by permutations of selecting units, a line circuit, a sending mechanism comprising conducting segments equal in number to the number of selecting units representing each character, a single additional segment, and means associated therewith whereby the last unit of each group of selecting units may determine the character of the initial unit of the succeeding-group for initiating the operation of the rece1v1ng mechanism after the sending mechanism has been set in motion.

' 4. In a printing telegraph system, a sending mechanism and a receiving mechanism, a line circuit, a source of current therefor, a set of selectable contacts arranged to close or to open said line circuit depending upon their selecting or non-selecting condition,

means for selectively operating said con- '1 scones tacts to transmit groups of selecting units, a line relay in circuit with said line, and means controlled by the line relay and responsive to the first reversal of line condi tion immediately following the transmission of each group of selecting units for initiating the operation of the receiving mechamsm. 5. In a signaling system, a transmission circuit, an intermittently operating distributer associated with said circuit, means to cause said distributer to initiate a cycle of operations whereby a group of selecting units are transmitted over said circuit, and means whereby the last unit of each group of selecting units may determine the character of the initial unit of the succeeding group.

6. In a signaling system, a transmitting station and a receiving station, a distributer at said transmitting station to transmit a startin unit followed by a group of select ing unlts, the starting unit being different in character from the last preceding selectingunit, means normally restraining said distributer, electromagnetic means for releasing said restraining means, a circuit for said restraining means, selecting devices, an-

intermittently operating distributer at the receiving station, the distributer operating to distribute received units to the selecting devices, and means at the receiving station to set said distributer into operation, -said means being responsive only to a starting unit differing in character from the last preceding selecting unit. W

7. In a printing telegraph system, a sending mechanism and a'receiving mechanism. a line circuit, a source of current therefor, a relay in the line circuit, a set of selectable contacts arranged toclose or to open said line circuit depending upon their selected or non-selected condition, means for selectively operating said contacts, a second relay responsive to each actuation of the line relay, a source of current, circuit contacts for said relays, and an electromagnetic device controlled by said circuit contacts and said source of current for initiating the operation of the receiving mecha nism.

8. In a printing telegraph system, a line circuit, a source ofcurrent therefor, a set of selectable contacts arranged to close or to open said line circuit depending upon their actuated or non-actuated condition, .means for selectively operating sald contacts, a distributer mechanism for successively bringing said contacts into series relation with said line, and means controlled by said selectable contacts to insure the initiating line unit being of opposite character to the last signaling unit.

9. In a printing telegraph system, a linecircuit, a source of current therefor, a set of selectable contacts arranged to close or to open said line circuit depending upon their actuated or non-actuated condition, means for selectively operating said contacts, a distributer mechanism for successively bringing said contacts into series relation with said line, and means associated with said lecting unit of the. preceding group, normally inoperative receiving means at the receiving station, and means at the receiving station responsive to the first unit of a group regardless of its character to render said receiving means operative.

11. In a telegraph system, a transmitting station and a receiving station, means at said transmitting station to transmit a starting unit followed by a group of se-.

lecting units, the starting unit always differing in character from the last selecting unit of the preceding group, normally inoperative receiving means at the receiving station, and means at the receiving station responsive to a starting unit transmitted from .the transmitting station regardless of its character to render said receiving means operative to receive selecting units.

12. Ina telegraph system, means to transmit groups of selecting units, a plurality of current controlling contacts to determine the character of the units of a group, certain of said contacts individually controlling the character of certain of the units, and another of said contacts determining the character of a plurality of units.

13. In a telegraph system, means to trans--.

mit a. group of selecting units, a plurality I of current controlling contacts to determine the character of the units; of the group, one of said current controlling contacts con: trolling the first and last units of the group, and the remaining contacts individually controlling the remaining units of the group.

14. In a telegraph system, a distributer for transmittingsignaling units in-groups comprising a series of segments, one of said segments controlling the transmissionof a starting signaling unit and the remainder of said segments controlling the transmission, of' selecting signaling units, a series of'relays, one corresponding to each selecting signaling unit controlling segment for determining the character of-the signaling units controlled by said segments, and means whereby the relay for determining the character of the last selecting signaling unit of each group may determine the character of the starting signaling unit of the succeeding group.

15. In a telegraph system, a transmitting station and a receiving station, means at said transmitting station to transmit a starting unit followed by a group of selecting units, the starting unit being different in character from the last preceding selecting unit, selecting devices and an intermittently operating distributer at the receiving station, the distributer operating to distribute received units to the selecting devices, and means at the receiving station to set said distributer into operation, said means being responsive only to a starting unit different in character from the last preceding selecting unit.

16. In a telegraph system, a transmitting station and a receiving station, a transmission lineinterconnecting said stations. means at said transmitting station totransmit a startingunit followed by a group of selecting units over said line to the re ceiving station, the starting unit being different in character from the last preceding selecting unit, an intermittently operating distributer at the receiving station, and means at the receiving station to set the distributer into operation, said means being responsive only to a starting unit received from said line and difierent in character from the last preceding selecting unit.

17-. In a telegraph system, an intermittently operalting distributor, means to set said distributer in operation, a circuit for said means having two branches, means to extend said circuit over one or the other of said branches depending upon the character of the last received unit oi a group, and means to complete the circuit over said branch upon receiving the first unit of the next group.

18. In a telegraph system, an intermit tently operating distributor, means to set said distributer in operation, a circuit for said means having two branches, means acting in response to the last received unit of a group to extend said circuit over one of said branches, means'acting in response to the last received unit of a group to hold open said branch andresponding to the first unit of the succeeding group to complete said circuit over said branch.

19. In a telegraph system, means to set up a group of selecting units of varying characteristics, means to transmit a starting unit and a group of selecting units, and means whereby one unit of each group may determine the character of the starting unit of the succeeding group.

20. In a telegraph system,'means to set up a code group, means to transmit a starting unit and a group of selecting units whose character is determined by said code group, and means controlled bythe last element of a code group to determine the character of the starting unit corresponding to the succeeding group.

21. In a telegraph system, a distributer for transmitting units in groups comprising a series of unit controlling segments, a series of storing relays, another relay controlled by one of said storing relays for determining the character of the units controlled by the segments corresponding to the first and last unit of a group, and the other storing relays individually determining the character of the units controlled by the remaining segments.

22. In a telegraph system, signal determin ing means, means to transmit a group of selecting units determined by said signal determining means, and a relay under control of said signal determining means and independent of said transmitting means for controlling the first and last unit of. each group.

23. In a telegraph system, means to transmit successive groups of selecting units, each group comprising a starting unit followed by selecting units of varied characteristics, means, the action of which is determined by the character of the last selecting unit of a group, to control the character of the starting unit of the succeeding group.

24 In a telegraph system, rotary means to transmit successive groups of selecting units in predetermined order, and means controlled by the last selecting unit of each group for determining the character of the first unit of the succeeding group.

25. In a telegraph system,'means normally tending to rotate to transmit successive groups of selecting units in predetermined order, and means to render the first transmitted unit of each group-of a character different from that of the last selecting unit previously transmitted.

26. In a telegraph system, signal respon sive devices, an intermittently operating distributer for distributing received selecting units to said signal responsive devices, means to set said distributer into operation, said means being responsive only to a unit differing in character from the last received unit of a group and unresponsive to the other received units of a group.

27. In a telegraph system, an intermittently operating distributer, means to set said distributer into operation, a circuit for said means under the control of said distributer and having a plurality of branches, a relay responsive to all impulses of a group of impulses of different character and operating to close one or the other of said branches depending upon the character of the re ceived impulse, relay controlled means operating in response to the last impulse of a group to extend said circuit over one or the other of said branches depending upon the character of said impulse, said relay operatlng in response to said last impulse to hold open said branch and operating in re sponse to the first impulse of the succeeding group to close said circuit over said branch, whereby the distributer is set in operation, and means to open said circuit upon the initiation of the operation of said distributer and hold said circuitopen until the distributer completes its cycle of operations,

whereby the actuation of said relay inrespouse to impulses other than the first is ineffective to actuate said first mentioned means.

28. In a signaling system, a line circuit, means to set up a code combination of signaling units, a set of storing relays'to which certain units of the combination may betransferred, a distributer comprising a series of segments equal in number to the storing relays to transmit the combination set up, an additional segment on said distributer, a relay associated with said additional segment for altering the condition of the line circuit and for determining the charactor of a unit of the code combination, and

a circuit for said relay controlled by one of said storing relays.

29. In a signaling system, means to set up a code combination of signaling units, a set of storing relays U01 which the combination set up may be transferred, a. distributer comprising a plurality of segments to transmit the combination set up, a single additional segment on said distributer, a relay associated therewith to insure a reversal of line condition and to determine the character of one of said signaling units, and a.

ing means, a circuit for said releasing'means,

an intermittently operating distributer at the receiving station, means at the receiving station responsive to a starting unit transmitted from the transmitting station to initiate the operation of said distributer, and means to stop said distributer upon receiving the last selecting unit of any group.

31. In a signaling-system, a transmitting station and a receiving station, a distributer at said transmitting station to transmit a starting unit followed by a group of selecting units, the startingunit being different in character from the last selecting unit of the preceding group, means nor- .unit transmitted from the transmitting stamally restraining said distributer, electrotion to render said receiving means opermagnetic means for releasing said restrainative to receive selecting units. ing' means, a circuit for said restraining In Witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe means, normally inoperative receiving means my name this 1st day of February, A. D., at the receiving station, and means at the 1918.

receiving station responsive to a starting PAUL M. RAINEY. 

